Photographer's Note

At the outset, Happy Bastille Day to all my French friends.

A few days ago I was sitting on a bench on a quiet street corner in Bethesda, Maryland, where I was reading a book and watching the pedestrians stroll bye. Along with my book, I also had a small compact camera, and occasionally snapped a photo. Of the 11 individuals I photographed, 7 were conversing on mobile phones (true of this young woman in pink), 5 were overweight (certainly not true of her)… but most appeared to be oblivious to the work of art adorning the wall next to them. (Unlike me, some of them may have seen the work many times before.)

The imaginative rendition of van Gogh’s "Starry Night” seen here hangs on an exterior wall at a quiet street corner. Created from brass, chrome and dye fixtures — doorknobs, escutcheon plates,toilet paper holders — measures 3.71 x2.43 meters (146x96 inches). A pair of small signs flanking the work, offers the following information: “Interpreted by: David van Go-berg, Medium: Brass and Dye on PVC. Style: 'Post-Door Hardwareism.' 1,250 doorknobs, levers and back plates (escutcheon plates) from Italy, Germany and the United States comprise this “Starry Night.” In the workshop, a close-up of the wall can be seen. Incidentally, the artist, "David van Go-berg," is actually David Goldberg, one of the owners of Union Hardware, a century-old upscale store selling the fixtures.

Last December I posted a photo showing van Gogh’s iconic painting, "Starry, Starry Night" in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City. The great Dutch/French Post-Impressionists had painted the view from memory, after a lengthy period staring out of a window, while convalescing in a psychiatric institution in Saint-Remy in 1889. The famous work created in oil on canvas, measures 91.4x71.4 cm (36x29 inches), and represents one of the most celebrated works in the collection of the MOMA.

Merhaba Bulent Bey. One of your earlier photos had a little girl in pink, this one a young woman in pink. Nice flowing folds. As to the work being ignored, maybe she has seen it numerous times already. Mind you, it is a clever interpretation of the original and at the same time an apt advertisement for Union Hardware.Excellent clarity and luminosity.Thanks for the YouTube link you sent me as it allowed me to check some of the other links which featured the cultural centre which I had visited. Best wishes. Klaudio.

Beautifully managed the moment, Bulent.
The outstanding wall, with it's fabulous details, had a nice lady passed along without paying much attebtion to it - just busy with the cell. A cell-scenery we get to see as a daily-life common view nowadays...
Fina capture, good clear details on.
Enjoy your weekend,
Ike

Hello Bulent, interesting composition here, i love the colors on the wall. Nice interpretation of the Van Gogh painting. Reading your note i was "too bad" for those people. Maybe we're not paying too much attention to the beautiful things in our lives. Good work.
Regards!

hi bulent,
it took a while for me to get to the picture behind the foreground interest! wonderful composition. you have managed the light well and produced some lovely colours. your note is equally as interesting.
regards,
brian

The subject keeps the onlooker involved in the painting while the other factors take hold.

The first things that strikes me is the pink dress; then the flow of the skirt, which seems to continue on to the curves of the design on the wall naturally. What a great timing to have her positioned just beneath a 'star'.

Hello Bulent,
magnificent composition.At first glance it seems like an ordinary street scene,but it has definitely kind of deeper meaning.It´s like about our attitude to the surrounding world,its beauty and the way we perceive it.By the way the street version of Van Gogh´s "Starry Night" realy appeals to me.It´s a good way to promote the arts.But the woman seems to be taken up entirely by conversation.Excellently spotted scene and very interesting note.
Have a nice weekend
Krzysztof

Hello Bulent,
Thank you for your remembering our National Day. You captured a very good daily scene from your bench. The modern rendition of Van Gogh's Starry Night suits the image of this nowadays lady and her mobile phone perfectly. The strong sense of movement in the painting also echoes the lady on the move. Well seen and flawlessly achieved.
Jean

Hi Bulent, very interesting note, I liked this statistics. I think that the percent of people using mobile was quite high but it happens everywhere, these overweight is true in USA and in Scotland, but not in Japan (maybe only sumo wrestlers are fat). And how many were overweight and conversing? According to Dirichlet's box principle there was at least one such person. Very nice composition with this lady in pink(you like pink colour:)) As a gift for you, in Workshop another copy of the Starry night - this time from the Diamond Museum in Amsterdam, very near Van Gogh's Museum. this replica is set with the 504 brilliants with total weight of 140 carats, 96 pieces of Onyx, all stones in 18 carat white gold. But even with all these precious, less valuable than the original painting (I suppose).

Hello Bülent,
This is a superb composition which immediately stands out among the thumbnails. You had clearly chosen the bench with careful consideration. I am sure you also selected the most suitable photo to show us, not just because of this woman's good looks but mainly thanks to the marvellously matching colours of her dress and the Van Gogh piece.
Kind regards,
Gert

You make a beautiful analysis of passers, I am everyday surprised of the young people, or SMS or talk with GSM, what a world, everything of on distance.
Your picture is very well taken, the lady brings a lot dynamic in these picture, also your both workshop pictures are pleasant for look at.
One small advice my best friend, place the lady to the leftside with more space before the lady.
Nevertheless a very nice picture with the painting in background.
Very nice done, TFS.

Hello Bulent,
Great photo, and a great version of "Starry Night"! I am sure far too many people have walked by without even noticing all of the intricate and creative details on this work of art. The passing woman is a good complementary subject in the frame. Instinctively, I feel that the right side of the photo should be cropped to create a symmetry on both sides of the artwork. That's just my gut feeling, but your presentation is very nice. :-)

It's a good thing that you haven't shown a version with one of the 5 obese subjects, as we wouldn't be able to see as much of the artwork... :-p))

This version of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" shows some Klimt influences as well...

Your choice of subject is awesome, for the way her dress blends nicely with the purple touch from the background, but also because the way it stands out from the artwork. Excellent street shooting, showing that this photographic style is often the result of patience and observation.

Hello Bulent,
Excellent image with great exposure and focus! Perfect sharpness, brightness and nice color with details.
The framing is IMO excellently chosen, the colors are also very well controlled.
The excellent DOF is integral in showing the lady and the colorful background in very good focus. I like it!

Best match the main object with the background.
A via perfect cropped framework and the best composition. You get the perefect moment by the best timing shutter chance. The angle of her leg is very natural and also makes dynamic image. Thanks for your good work and have a good day!
Best reagrds,

Hello Bullent,
nice the snapshoform the passing by woman in pink having as backdrop this superb variation of the "Starry Night”.
I like the brilliant light and colour management, as bringing up the details of this atr work with the original of Van Gogh’s iconic painting,to can see it in the WS.

A perfect framing accompanied by a wonderful narrative that tells about the background of the shot. I find the connection between your pictures and notes enriching, tells a lot about yourself and the setting.

And yes, the coincidence with which your picture and mine overlap is striking.

Hi, my wise friend Ali
To capture a very beautiful view. Silence and conversation. Stillness and motion.
Silence in the face of art in contrast to the young woman with a cell phone conversation. Depending on the role of stillness and serenity of art on the wall and move toward the young woman's life. Beautiful
I am happy of your message

Hello Bulent,
This superb modern and elegant young woman, highlights this splendid work. I guess to see books and scrolls. The light, colors and sharpness are excellent. Bravo.
Have a nice day
Cordially
Joël

Hello Bulent,
A great capture where the lady appears unaware of the interpretation of Van Gogh's art beside her. A super capture and note - love the colours and framing. He is one of my favourite artists and when in Amsterdam never miss going to the museum to see his work.
Best wishes, Ann

Bulent,
I love this take on "Starry, Starry Night". It fluid but so industrial. It is a great contrast to the figure who, so typically, is consumed with the phone and totally misses it. Great capture.
Kevin

I recognized this copy of Van Gogh's work right away and was drawn to your photo immediately. I throughougly enjoyed reading your note about it. It was both informative and personal at the same time. I like how her pink dress contrasts the dominating blues and golds in the artwork. Nice timing to capture this, and I will try your idea with the smaller camera in the future.

You're capturing well this street scene by a good composition and excellent tone/clarity, so it's interesting and impressive to see an art work on wall with imaginative rendition, and the woman who wears pink clothes and is walking. A art work looks as the mural painting of abstraction. The light is managed well, too.

beautiful painel in the background you capture it very well and I like the inclusion of the woman in forgroun. Is funny that the girl don't stop to see the artwork. She directly pass more attentive to the conversation on the photo.
Good work
Andre

Hi Bulent,
When I first looked at this picture I did not notice the work of art at all. So I can understand that other people may have been distracted as well. I like the pink color of the dress it bring so much joy here, it is so eye catching. Great idea to spend time. I have to try it someday.
Have a great weekend,
M